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Seven Winners and Three Notables Selected For Sustainable Achievements

Included among sustainable achievements recognized in the 20th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation are innovations in the use of renewable materials, effective recovery, energy efficiency and community benefit. A panel of independent jurors selected this year’s winners from nearly 80 entries from the Americas, Europe and Asia. Seven winners and three notable achievements were honored for innovative products and processes that demonstrated breakthroughs in sustainable packaging.

This innovative, consumer-preferred bottle retains the appeal of this iconic and trusted Kraft brand, while significantly improving transport efficiency, energy consumption and consumer convenience, with no change in source materials. A process refinement enables a 19 percent weight reduction, saving over three million pounds of plastic annually. The optimized bottle design increases shipping efficiencies by 18 percent by allowing a greater number of bottles shipped per truckload. The unique design has multiple consumer conveniences, including an easy-open flip top cap with a bottle shape that is easier to hold, pour and store than the original package.

Replacing traditional confectionary packaging inserts with a biodegradable component made from renewable resources

A new packaging approach using only renewable and compostable materials contributes to responsible sourcing, clean production and effective recovery. This compostable produce pack consists of three materials that together create an alternative to traditional fresh produce packaging. The EarthCycle™ tray is made from palm fiber, a renewable resource, which would otherwise be a waste product. The Natureflex™ film is sourced from renewable resources. The label is also certified home compostable. This packaging simplifies responsible disposal and also supports the natural branding of this organic produce.

Providing social benefit through an energy-saving alternative approach to bottle systems that improves access to clean drinking water

Water Bag-in-Box - Lindóya Vida, Klabin – Brazil

Water Bag-in-Box provides social, environmental and economic benefits with a new packaging approach that improves access to clean drinking water. The innovative design provides an alternative to rigid bottle systems that typically cost 40 percent more per liter, are more costly and more energy intensive to produce, and are more subject to contamination. In addition to the responsibly sourced materials, the outer corrugated cardboard packaging is 100 percent recyclable and the lightweight inner liner can be recycled into other plastic components and is suitable for energy recovery.

Reducing food waste with a new approach for single-serve ambient food packaging

With food waste becoming a major sustainability issue in developed countries, this new single portion retort concept keeps food fresh and reduces food waste typically associated with larger portion, traditional ambient packaging. Recognized for resource and energy optimization, its logistics and storage benefits allow reduced energy use while matching the shelf-life standards of traditional materials. Its effective use of raw materials results in significant savings compared to traditional retortable materials. The used package is suitable for mechanical recycling or energy recovery.

A new compostable, biodegradable flexible pack that supports natural branding of the product and helps assure effective post-use recovery

This new biodegradable flexible pack supports natural branding of the product and helps assure effective post-use recovery. This first-of-its kind flexible package is compostable, biodegradable and made from renewable raw materials. Consumers can dispose of the package through home or industrial composting. This approach to effective recovery supports Jordan’s overall strategy and makes a meaningful contribution to reducing waste disposal and landfill requirements, while reducing the need for incineration. The “biobag” conforms to EN 13432 composting standards.

Reducing energy usage in the manufacturing process by more than 50 percent via new process technology that enables a one-step process to replace a four-part approach

AirLEssMotion Bag-in-Bottle System - Gaplast GmbH – Germany

New process technology makes it possible to reduce energy usage in the manufacturing process by more than 50 percent for this new concept for disinfectant spray bottles, compared to previous designs. The coextruded, blow molded bottle bag made with DuPont™ Surlyn® replaces a four-part process with a one-step process that is more than 50 percent more energy efficient. Less raw material is used in this process than conventional constructions. Upon disposal, waste recovery is simplified because the bottle and bag belong to the same polymer family.

Notable Accomplishments:

A new cosmetic applicator made entirely of a single material for easier recycling

This new cosmetic design overcomes the technical challenge of using a single material for surface-to-surface functionality. Typically dissimilar materials would be used such as PET bottles with polypropylene closures which are more difficult to recycle. The new design enables easier recycling and has the added benefit of using a renewable polymer (PLA) as the material of construction. The carton also provides outstanding consumer education on responsible disposal.

The first polypropylene container made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled material

UniPak Eco™ - Superfos – Denmark

The UniPak Eco™ is the first polypropylene container made of 100 percent recyclable post consumer recycled materials. This breakthrough packaging concept uses responsibly sourced regrind material which reduces waste and is recyclable. Calculations indicate that the source material reduces the CO2 footprint by 20 percent, and the recyclable attributes reduce the CO2 footprint by more than 70 percent.

A new thermal process for packaging graphics which eliminates the use of solvents, contributing to clean manufacturing

DuPont™ Cyrel® FAST Thermal Process - Promopack - United Kingdom

A new thermal process eliminates solvents for cleaner production in packaging graphics. The 100 percent solvent-free, plate making process goes beyond environmental benefits by creating a more consistent, better quality, longer-lasting printing plate. “FAST” plates also significantly reduce overall press time and labor.

Surlyn®, and Cyrel® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. EarthCycle™ is a trademark of EarthCycle Packaging Ltd. Natureflex™ is a trademark of Innovia Films. AMPET® is a registered trademark of Faerch Plast. PlantLove™ is a trademark of CARGO Cosmetics. UniPak Eco™ is a trademark of Superfos.